TAWANG : The District Steering Committee of the Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ArSRLM) on Wednesday reviewed the progress of the mission in Tawang district, with a focus on strengthening self-help groups (SHGs), improving livelihood opportunities and enhancing convergence among government departments.
The meeting, held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall, was chaired by Tawang Deputy Commissioner Namgyal Angmo. It was attended by Zila Parishad Chairperson Leki Gombu, Zila Parishad Members Sonam Nordzin, Tenzin Monpa and Pema Tsering, heads of departments, ArSRLM officials and members of various SHGs.
District Mission Manager Toko Lej presented an overview of ArSRLM activities in the district, highlighting efforts to strengthen SHGs, promote sustainable livelihoods and achieve the goal of creating Lakhpati Didis through financial inclusion, skill development and enterprise support.
He underscored the need for greater inter-departmental convergence to ensure that flagship schemes such as the Atma Nirbhar Bagwani Yojana (ANBY), Atma Nirbhar Pashu Palan Yojana (ANPY) and Atma Nirbhar Krishi Yojana (ANKY) effectively support SHG members in becoming self-reliant entrepreneurs. He also identified market linkages, branding, infrastructure and value addition as key challenges facing SHGs and sought greater cooperation from Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members and line departments.
The PRI representatives assured their support to the mission and called for greater involvement of PRI members in beneficiary identification to ensure transparency. They also advocated promoting locally viable enterprises, including Sichuan pepper cultivation, traditional Monpa attire, organic vegetable farming and other region-specific livelihood activities with strong market potential.
Representing the SHGs, Khandro Drowa Zangmo SHG President Nawang Chonzom urged that SHG members be given due preference in the selection of beneficiaries under the Atma Nirbhar schemes.
Addressing the meeting, Tawang DC Namgyal Angmo stressed the need to hold similar coordination meetings at the block level with active participation of PRI members to improve outreach and implementation. She assured the administration’s support in resolving issues requiring intervention from the district administration and Panchayati Raj Institutions.
Emphasising sustainable livelihoods, Angmo said investments made by SHG members should ultimately translate into tangible economic gains. She encouraged members to remain patient and persistent, stating that perseverance, hard work and calculated risk-taking are essential for building successful enterprises.
She also directed all concerned departments to organise extensive awareness campaigns across all blocks next month on the various Atma Nirbhar schemes to ensure that eligible villagers and SHGs are well informed about the available opportunities. Reiterating the importance of transparency, she said beneficiary selection under all government schemes must remain fair and merit-based.
The meeting concluded with a collective commitment from the district administration, PRI members, line departments and ArSRLM officials to strengthen convergence, improve market access and empower rural women through sustainable livelihood opportunities across Tawang district. (DIPR)
